Training toothbrush

ABSTRACT

A toothbrush is disclosed, comprising a body, including a handle and a brush head portion thereof, bristle-retaining means slidably attached to the brush head portion of the body for reciprocating motion exclusively in a longitudinal direction with respect to the body, and a plurality of bristles rigidly attached to the bristle-retaining means, also for exclusive longitudinal motion with respect to the body, to be used for purposes of training proper toothbrushing techniques.

United States Patent 11 1 11 1 3,879,791

Isler 1 Apr. 29, 1975 1 TRAINING TOOTHBRUSH 3.007.441 11/1961 Eyer 15/167 R x [76] Inventor: Stuart Isler, 21 Broadway, Denville, FOREIGN PATENTS 0 APPLICATONS 07834 910.091 1/1946 France 15/176 [22] Filed: Dec. 14, 1973 [21] AppL NW 424,675 Primary Examiner-Peter Feldman Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Lerner, David, Littenberg and Samuel [52] US. Cl. 15/167 R; 15/201 [51] Int. Cl A46b 9/04 58 1 Field of Search..... 15/167 R, 167 A, 172,176, [571 ABSTRACT 15/20] A toothbrush is disclosed, comprising a body, including a handle and a brush head portion thereof, bristle- 1 1 References Cited retaining means slidably attached to the brush head UNITED STATES PATENTS portion of the body for reciprocating motion exclu- 726,716 4/1903 Maher 15 201 lsively a kmgitudinal directiml with respect the 1,092.014 3 1914 Briggs 15/172 body, and a plurality bristlfis g y attached to the 1,199,268 9/1916 Hallcr 15/172 bristle-retaining means, also for exclusive longitudinal 1,476,433 12/1923 Vandervoort 15/22 A motion with respect to the body, to be used for pur- 1,664,797 4/1928 Stone 15/201 poses of training proper toothbrushing techniques, 1,735,582 11/1929 Meadoff 15/167 R 2,254,365 9/1941 Griffith et a1. 15/167 R X 5 Claims, 5 Drawing Figures TRAINING TOOTHBRUSH FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention is concerned with toothbrushes, particularly those useful for purposes of training proper toothbrushing techniques. Specifically, the present invention is concerned with such training toothbrushes for teaching children the proper up and down, or vertical toothbrushing techniques. More particularly, the present invention relates to training toothbrushes which have utility for brushing teeth only when used in a proper manner, and which do not operate when used in an improper or horizontal brushing direction.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION It has for many years been recognized that the effective dental care of human teeth is best facilitated by toothbrushing wherein the brush travels in an up and down or vertical direction with respect to the teeth. By brushing in such a manner the brush bristles are able to extend into the narrow spaces between the teeth where food may collect, and thus prevent the accumulation of such food and the resultant tooth decay. Furthermore, such toothbrushing is helpful in gum massage, and stimulation thereof, again for the strengthening of the teeth and the prevention of further deterioration thereof.

While such techniques have been known to be extremely effective for many years, the public acceptance of these techniques for actual use has been rather limited. This is probably the result of the development of such hibits from an early age, where the improper, side to side, or horizontal brushing is much less difficult.

There have been several attempts to provide toothbrushes which facilitate such proper brushing techniques. Thus, for example, US. Pat. No. 2,934,776 to Clemens clearly recognizes these difficulties, and teaches the use ofa toothbrush having a specific handle adapted to be held for easy use and rotation in the proper brushing direction. The device of this patent includes an arcuate brushing head containing bristles thereon, in combination with the specific handle grip, for such brushing. Such a brush, however, may also be employed for the improper horizontal brushing which is to be avoided, particularly when used by young children who lack the manual dexterity to accomplish such rotation.

Other toothbrushes have been developed which attempt to alleviate this problem by providing a brush which effects proper up and down or vertical motion of the bristles when the brush handle is used in the improper horizontal manner. Thus, US. Pat. No. 1,850,810 to Schwerin teaches such a toothbrush, which contains bristles slidably supported by the toothbrush handle. The bristles, carried on a carriage which can move slidably along the brush handle, include a series of undulating bars placed below the slide or carriage, so that on improper horizontal motion of the toothbrush body, the bristles will move in the desirable up and down direction for proper brushing. Additionally, US. Pat. No. 2,] 1 1,876 to Swenson teaches a similar type of toothbrush, wherein a dual set of parallel brushes or bristles is provided. These bristles are attached to the brush handle by means of pins extending therethrough, which pins are contained in arcuate slots, so that again when improperly moving the brush handle in a side to side or horizontal direction, the bristles will move in the proper vertical direction as the pin slides along the arcuate slot, thus separating the brush containing heads.

With such toothbrushes, however, only a slight degree of proper vertical brushing is obtained, with the concomitant waste of brushing strokes in the improper horizontal direction. Furthermore, the use of these brushes, rather than teaching young children the proper vertical brushing technique, incourages improper horizontal brushing.

It is therefore an object of the invention to provide a training toothbrush which overcomes these difficulties.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a toothbrush to assist in training young children to employ the proper up and down or vertical toothbrushing techniques.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a training toothbrush for young children which will only effect bristle motion when utilized in the proper up and down or vertical direction.

SUMMARY OF- THE INVENTION In accordance with the present invention a toothbrush is provided comprising a toothbrush body, including a handle portion and a brush head portion thereof, bristle-retaining means slidably attached to the brush head portion of the toothbrush body thus permitting reciprocating motion' 'of the bristle-retaining means exclusively in a longitudinal direction with respect to the toothbrush body, and a plurality of bristles rigidly attached to the bristle-retaining means, also in a manner for movement exclusively in the longitudinal direction with respect to the toothbrush body upon reciprocating motion of the bristle-retaining means.

In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the brush head portion of the toothbrush body includes a recessed portion, and the bristle-retainingmeans is located within the recess, and preferably the bristleretaining means contains grooves which slidably cooperate with tracks contained in the recess of the brush head portion of the toothbrush body.

In yet another embodiment of the present invention, the bristle-retaining means comprises a collar, preferably made of plastic, which surrounds the brush head portion of the toothbrush body, and whose inner surface conforms with the outer surface thereof, also for slidable engagement therewith.

Furthermore, while various such means may be em ployed for slidably enga'g'ingthe bristle-retaining means within the brush head portion of the toothbrush body, including barrier means located on either side of the bristle-retaining means in order to limit its reciprocating motion therebetween, each provides for the basic requirement that the motion of the bristle-retaining means will be exclusively in a longitudinal direction with respect to the toothbrush body, and further that the motion of the bristles will also be exclusively in a longitudinal direction with respect to the toothbrush body when the bristle-retaining means is reciprocating longitudinally with respect to the toothbrush body. In this manner, when the toothbrush body is moved horizontally, the bristle-retaining means will slide or reciprocate longitudinally therewith, and the bristles, retained against the teeth, will move neither longitudinally nor transversely with respect to the toothbrush body, since their longitudinal motion is prevented by the sliding reciprocation of the bristle-retaining means, and they are not capable of horizontal or transverse motion upon such reciprocation of the bristle-retaining means.

These and other aspects of the present invention will be better understood with reference to the following preferred embodiments, with particular reference to the following Figures.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a top plan view of one of the toothbrushes constructed in accordance with the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a partial longitudinal sectional view of the toothbrush of FIG. 1, taken along section 2-2 thereof, shown in relation to a row of teeth.

FIG. 3 is a transverse sectional view of the toothbrush of FIG. 1, taken along section 3-3 thereof, shown in relation to a pair of upper and lower teeth.

FIG. 4 is a partial side view of another toothbrush constructed in accordance with the present invention, and i FIG. 5 is a transverse sectional view of the toothbrush of FIG. 4, taken along section 5-5 thereof.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION Referring to the Figures, in which like numerals refer to like parts thereof, FIG. 1 shows a toothbrush, generally designated 1, including a handle portion 2 and brush head portion 3. The toothbrush itself may be of the general rectangular shape of a conventional toothbrush, or of various other shapes, and does not constitute part of the present inventive concept.

In a conventional toothbrush, a plurality of bristles, generally composed of nylon or'other materials, are rigidly attached to the brush head portion of the toothbrush body, and will operate to effect brushing of the teeth when employed in either the proper up and down or vertical direction, or in the improper, side to side, or horizontal direction. In the toothbrush of the present invention as depicted in FIG. I, the brush head portion of the toothbrush body includes a recessed portion, generally designated 18. The generally rectangular recessed portion 18, runs longitudinally with respect to the toothbrush body in the brush head portion thereof. This generally rectangular recessed portion thus includes side walls 19 running longitudinally with the toothbrush body, a bed portion 17 perpendicular to the side walls, and a rear facing 13 and front facing 14, disposed-transversely to the toothbrush body, and also perpendicular to the bed 17.

Within this recessed portion 18 is mounted a carriage 4, also of a generally rectangular solid shape, so as to fit between the side walls 19 of the recessed portion 17, but of a length shorter than the length of the sidewalls 19, so as to be free for reciprocating motion within the recessed portion, and longitudinally with respect to the toothbrush body. Furthermore, the carriage 4 will be of a depth substantially the same as that of the side walls 19, so that the top portion will be approximately flush with the surface of the brush head portion 3 of the toothbrush body I. A series of bristles 5 are thus rigidly attached to this top face of the carriage 4. These may be conventional toothbrush bristles, composed of nylon or other suitable material, and will preferably be disposed in two or more parallel rows running longitudinally along the toothbrush body, and the carriage 4. These bristles may, however, be of other conventional configurations, which do not form part of the present invention.

In order to provide for the slidable reciprocating motion of the carriage 4 within the recessed portion 17 of the brush head portion of the toothbrush body the side walls 19 of the recessed portion 18 are provided with one or more longitudinally disposed tracks, preferably running the length of both side walls 19, from the front facing 14 to the rear facing 13. These tracks 6 will cooperate with corresponding grooves 7 disposed along the length of the carriage 4. In this manner, the carriage 4 may freely reciprocate between the front and rear facings, 14 and 13 respectively, while being retained within the recessed portion 18 of the brush head portion 3. Thus, referring to FIG. 2, it can be seen that when the present toothbrush is utilized in the improper horizontal direction, as indicated by the arrows in FIG. 2, with respect to a row of upper or lower teeth 8, the toothbrush body 1, including the brush head portion thereof, reciprocates in this manner, but the carriage 4, which is slidably attached to the recessed portion 18 of the brush head portion 3, merely reciprocates within the recessed portion, as the bristles 5 remain stationary against the row of teeth 8. The individual, or young child, thus is unable to obtain any effective brushing whatsoever when so utilizing the toothbrush. On the other hand, as depicted in FIG. 3, when the toothbrush is employed in the proper up and down or vertical direction as depicted by the arrows in FIG. 3, with respect to a row of upper teeth 9 and lower teeth 10, the carriage 4 remains stationary in its location within the recessed portion 18, the proper, effective brushing of the teeth is obtained. In this manner the individual is trained to employ the toothbrush only in the proper vertical manner if any brushing is to be effected. In addition, however, the carriage 4 may also include a recessed portion 21 thereunder. Within this recessed portion 21 may be included a leaf spring 22, for frictional engagement with the bed 17 of the recessed portion 18 of the brush head portion 3. In this manner, a degree of friction may be imparted to the carriage 4 as it slides or reciprocates within the recessed portion 18. Thus, while there will still be no effective brushing obtainable when the toothbrush is used improperly or in a horizontal direction, the carriage 4 will be maintained firmly in its position when the toothbrush is used in the proper or vertical direction, and any small amount of sliding of the carriage 4 within the recessed portion 18 which might otherwise occur, will be prevented.

Referring to FIGS. 4 and 5, another embodiment of the present invention is shown. In this embodiment, where the toothbrush 1 is depicted as generally oval in shape, but may be of any other shape, including the generally rectangular shape of FIG. 1, also includes a recessed portion 20 in the brush head portion 3 of the toothbrush body 1. In this embodiment, however, the recessed portion runs longitudinally with respect to the toothbrush body 1, again from a front barrier 15 to a rear barrier 16, but extends the entire width of the brush head portion 3, running transversely with respect to the toothbrush body 1. An annular collor ll of a generally oval shape corresponding with that of the recessed portion 20 of the brush head portion 3, is disposed thereon, between the front and rear barriers, l5 and 16 respectively. Again, since the inner surface of the oval annular collar 11 generally corresponds with the outer surface of the recessed portion 20 of the brush head portion 3, the oval annular collar 11 may slidably reciprocate along the brush head portion 3 between the front and rear barriers l5 and 16, respectively. The bristles 5 are again firmly and rigidly implanted within the oval annular collar ll, again preferably in parallel rows running longitudinally along the toothbrush body 1. While the corresponding shapes of the recessed portion of the brush head portion 3 and the oval annular collar 11, as depicted in FIG. 5, may vary, they should not be circular, since in such a case the collar 11 could freely rotate about the brush head portion 3. In that case, the bristles 5 could not be maintained on one surface of the toothbrush body 1, and proper brushing could not be obtained. Within this limitation, however, various toothbrush shapes may be employed.

The collar 11 itself may be composed of plastic, or other suitable materials. Various other embodiments with respect to the means for retaining the bristles for slidable engagement along the logitude of the toothbrush body 1 may also be employed, including the dispostion of cooperating tracks along the upper surface of the brush head portion 3, without the employment of any recessed portion therein, and cooperating wheels on the underside of a rectangular car upon which the bristles are disposed. Various other such em- I claim:

1. A toothbrush comprising a body, including a handle portion and a brush head portion. bristle-retaining means slidably attached to said brush head portion of said body for permitting reciprocating motion of said bristle-retaining means exclusively in a longitudinal direction with respect to said body, means for restricting the longitudinal motion of said bristle-retaining means between fixed points on said brush head portion of said body, said bristle-retaining means being freely slidably between said fixed points, and a plurality of bristles rigidly attached to said bristle-retaining means also in a manner for movement exclusively in a longitudinal direction with respect to said body upon said reciprocat ing motion of said bristle-retaining means, so that said bristle-retaining means may remain in a substantially fixed position and said plurality of bristles may remain in a substantionally fixed transverse position upon the longitudinal reciprocation of said toothbrush body but are carried by said toothbrush body upon its transverse reciprocation.

2. The toothbrush of claim 1 wherein said brush head portion of said body includes a recessed portion, and said bristle-retaining means is located within said recess.

3. The toothbrush of claim 1 wherein said bristleretaining means includes groove means slidably engaged to track means extending longitudinally along said brush head portion of said body.

4. The toothbrush of claim 1 wherein said bristle retaining means comprises an annular collar surrounding said brush head portion of said body, said collar having an inner surface generally conforming with said brush head portion of said body.

5. The toothbrush of claim 1 including friction means for preventing longitudinal motion of said bristleretaining means upon transverse motion of said brush head portion of said body. 

1. A toothbrush comprising a body, including a handle portion and a brush head portion, bristle-retaining means slidably attached to said brush head portion of said body for permitting reciprocating motion of said bristle-retaining means exclusively in a longitudinal direction with respect to said body, means for restricting the longitudinal motion of said bristle-retaining means between fixed points on said brush head portion of said body, said bristle-retaining means being freely slidably between said fixed points, and a plurality of bristles rigidly attached to said bristle-retaining means also in a manner for movement exclusively in a longitudinal direction with respect to said body upon said reciprocating motion of said bristle-retaining means, so that said bristle-retaining means may remain in a substantially fixed position and said plurality of bristles may remain in a substantionally fixed transverse position upon the longitudinal reciprocation of said toothbrush body but are carried by said toothbrush body upon its transverse reciprocation.
 2. The toothbrush of claim 1 wherein said brush head portion of said body includes a recessed portion, and said bristle-retaining means is located within said recess.
 3. The toothbrush of claim 1 wherein said bristle-retaining means includes groove means slidably engaged to track means extending longitudinally along said brush head portion of said body.
 4. The toothbrush of claim 1 wherein said bristle retaining means comprises an annular collar surrounding said brush head portion of said body, said collar having an inner surface generally conforming with said brush head portion of said body.
 5. The toothbrush of claim 1 including friction means for preventing longitudinal motion of said bristle-retaining means upon transverse motion of said brush head portion of said body. 